Archive of Our Own

Fortress Base Firewind, Forward Base Tornado, Beverage Dispensary 13-5, also known as the Deep Blue Mountain Canteen

‘Hit me!’ said Injual looking over her shoulder.

‘What?’ replied her friend Tan’saro holding two cylinders of dom’airag.

‘Hit me and start a fight!’ said Injual taking a cylinder of golden beer but still looking over her shoulder.

‘Are ye daft? I-am-not-going-to-hit-ye!’ said Tan’saro sitting down on her stool at the end of the bar.

‘Pleeeaaase! Please, please hit me!’ begged Injual bouncing up and down on her stool.

‘What is wrong with ye?’ said Tan’saro staring at her friend incredulously.

‘There’s this really, really, reeeaaally handsome guy, and I want to get his attention.’

‘Injual, I’ve had a long day at the rifle range with our new squaddies, and the last thing I want to do is get in a punch-up at the pub.’

‘Ooo, but look at the table behind us. It’s that famous XV-22 Stealth pilot Shas’Vre’Tinek’la Qim’xarox and his La’rua Korst’erra!’ whispered Injual pulling her friend Tan’saro close to her. ‘See, that’s him on the right, the one with the dark auburn finger locks and goatee. Isn’t he such an oru’mi’la Tan’saro?!’

Tan’saro started to look over her shoulder, but Injual grabbed her whispering, ‘Don’t look he’ll see us lookin’ at him!’

‘T’ach! Why don’t ye go over there and ask him to turn down the quilt with ye? Or ye can do what ye always do when ye want to shag a guy? You bump his shoulders while he’s takin’ a drink, and then point with yer chin towards the back door sayin’, “Ye, out-back-with-me, now!”’ said Tan’saro grabbing a handful of uneos nuts from a dispenser in front of her.

‘I canna dae that,’ said Injual making a pouty face.

‘Why not? Works pretty well for ye with all the other men at the pub?’ answered Tan’saro looking at her sideways.

‘Nae, I canna dae t’at! He’s a shas’vre it’d ruin my chances!’ said Injual, nibbling on a single uneos nut.

‘T’oh, and why is t’at? Because it would be immature and inappropriate? Like gettin’ in a fight with another female firewarrior to get his attention isn’t – immature and inappropriate?’ said Tan’saro, spitting out bits of uneos nuts as she spoke.

‘But bois like watchin’ lassies fight,’ she whined.

‘Aye they do, at the academy, but this isn’t the academy, is it? And he isn’t a young shas’saal cadet with ragin’ hormones, and by the way, neither are you Injual. Fightin’ to make a boi randy is what cadets do. It’s what ponyo’seh, newbie firewarriors do. So lay off!’

‘But he might like watchin’ us fight Tan’saro?’ said Injual, making little circles in the spilt beer.

‘And he might just as well walk out of the pub,’ said Tan’saro giving her an elbow in the ribs.

‘Yaow!’ she complained but then looked over her shoulder.

The two firewarriors sat in silence drinking their cylinders of dom’airag; while more off-duty firewarriors and fio technicians entered the small pub. The pub, officially known as Beverage Dispensary 13-5, also went by Nog’Munyth Taxim or the Deep Blue Mountain Canteen. The pub was just like any other round fio’tek dome on Forward Base Rlung’rat’la - Tornado. However, like all the other pubs or canteens on post, it honoured one of the four sept worlds in the Farsight Enclaves. In the case of Deep Blue Mountain Canteen, it was made to look like a country pub on Lub’grahl. It had simulated white plaster walls with dark green wainscoting all way around. Around the outside of the pub were several booths made of simulated beakae wood, with benches in the same dark simulated wood. And at the centre was a circular bar made of the same simulated wood with brass fittings.

Injual and Tan’saro, both from Vior’los, now sat drinking their beer at the north end of the circular bar. Their hair was long on top with the sides cut short but not shaved. And each of them had their hair pulled back into queues, with a fringe and long hair on either side of their faces. Tan’saro wore a single gold band on her queue of onyx black hair. By contrast, Injual wore a single red band on her queue of iridescent pearl-white hair.

‘Tan’saro, if ye were really my vesa, ye’d hit me,’ said Injual finishing her cylinder of beer.

‘Injual, and if ye were really my vesa, ye wouldn’t be askin’ yer squad leader to hit ye!’ said Tan’saro signalling the Bar Attendant drone.

‘C’mon, I’d dae it for ye,’ pleaded Injual.

‘But, I’d never ask ye to do t’at?’ insisted Tan’saro. ‘Besides, in a tau’cyr, ye’ll be up for your Trial By Fire, and what will ye say when they ask? “We see here that ye had a fight with yer squad leader over a man?”What then?’

‘T’ahhh!’ moaned Injual.

‘Alrecht then, what dae I say when in three tau’cyrs, they come and ask me, “We see here that ye knocked out yer assistant squad leader in a fight over a man? How did that affect your leadership of the team?” Well, what will I say then?’

‘But ye wouldn’t have to knock me out…’

‘Ye are daft aren’t ye? No man is goin’ to stand for a fake fight? Nothing makes a bloke’s shodoi sag than theatrical fightin’… Wait, why am I talkn’ to ye about fightin’ over men?’

Tan’saro was wondering why she was pontificating on the finer points of “fighting over men” when Injual got off her stool and stood next to the bar. As she was listening to Tan’saro talk, she wiggled her backside in the direction of Team Korst’erra, and then took her right-hoofed foot and dragged it across the floor behind her left-hoofed foot.

In the booth on the north end of the pub, across from where the two female firewarriors sat at the bar, were the members of the Stealth Team Shadow of the Death Being. In the T’au Empire stealth pilots are considered to be more eccentric and unconventional than other firewarriors; then one wonders what would they make of the stealth pilots in the Farsight Enclaves. Here stealth pilots aren’t considered to be just a little idiosyncratic; but beyond all acceptable norms of behaviour: outlandish, barbaric, and violent. However, Team Shadow of the Death Being was considered outright dangerous. At present, the booths on either side of the team were empty, as were all the tables between their booth and the bar. The pub was crowded and getting more so, but the area on the north side of the pub remained eerily vacant.

The team leader Shas’Vre’Tinek’la Qim’xarox sat on the right side of the booth. His powerful and muscular frame was packed tightly into his flight suit of dark grey. HIs red auburn hair was shaved right down to the skin on the sides, with the hair on top coiled into small finger locs and then falling to the right of his face. A single long loc fell over his back that was decorated with golden yellow beads. His eyes were dark emerald green, and he had a sexy y-nasal slit, that was finished off with an auburn goatee and moustache. He wore a string of small Ork tusks around his neck.

Next to him in the middle sat the female team member Shas’Ui’Salash’hei Niaa’myr, whose tall muscular build rivalled that of her team leader. She had shoulder-length bronze-coloured hair, that was coiled into locs with beads made from Ork ivory at their terminals, which then fell onto the left side of her head. In the tradition of the Salash’hei Fire caste, she had her rank tattooed in blue-green down the right side of her face. However, just above the collar of her flight suit, various blue-green tattoos could be seen on her chest. A single Ork tusk hung around her neck on a chain of anodized blue-green metal. And her dark grey flight suit was festooned here and there with beads made from the same blue-green metal.

Finally, sitting to the left was Shas’Ui’Vior’los Ka’jida, whose wide body and large hands indicated a strong presence of Earth caste DNA. Ka’jida’s pink-blond hair was done up in shoulder-length braids that were bundled together at the back of his head, each braid was adorned with a red and gold bead at its terminal. Ka’jida also sported a short-cropped pink-blonde beard. Ork tusks of various sizes hung all over his dark grey flight suit.

Ka’jida, whose given name was Ham’ish, drank his cylinder of mon’airag, as he watched Injual wiggle her butt and drag her foot behind her. He turned to his team leader and said, ‘Vi’gala, that lassie over at the bar with the iridescent white hair, she just drug her hoof and shook her tulgaa at ye.’

‘Yeah, sure she did Ham’ish,’ answered Qim’xarox, whose given name was Vi’gala.

‘No, it’s true. I saw her do it too,’ answered Niaa’myr, whose given name was Yolwas.

Vi’gala looked at his two teammates and nodded his head in annoyance. Tau’cyrs of combat had taken their toll on him, and a permanent da’cova’ran or sense of doom seemed to surround him. And when Vi’gala drank, it only got worse, and his tolerance for anything light-hearted banter or playful was zero. Such frivolous things only put him more on edge, which might result in serious violence. One of the many reasons why the north end of the pub was vacant of patrons.

‘Well, tonight I’m here for relaxation. This is our first rotaa off after being in the field for almost two kai’rotaa. So, I don’t care if she comes over here and wants to introduce herself; or even if she wants to shag me. The answer is “no”!’

‘T’ah, but if then you wanted a woman there’s always the Uaroka isn’t there Vi’gala?’ snickered Yolwas over her beer.

‘You leave the Aurochs out of this!’ replied Vi’gala knocking back his fifth shot of vi’ky’husa of the evening.

‘You are planning to see the shas’nan aren’t you?’ asked Ham’ish taking a drink.

‘Enough Ham’ish, I said leave her out of this!’ growled Vi’gala, and slammed his bowl down on the table.

There was silence in the booth of Team: Shadow of the Death Being; as Ham’ish grabbed a handful of uneos nuts and jammed them into his mouth; and Yolwas turned her face to drink her beer in silence. The team did nothing but drink for a couple of more raik’ors before finally, Yolwas spoke up.

‘I tell you what, I bet our ta’lissera brother here wouldn’t mind seeing that white-haired lass and her black-haired vesa go at it. Now wouldn’t you Ham’ish?’

‘What are ye talkin’ about?’ answered Ham’ish brushing bits of uneos nuts out of his beard.

‘You’re the one who loved watching the lassies fight,’ said Yolwas kicking him under the table.

‘Hoi, that hurt!’ said Ham’ish, but knew better than to kick her back. ‘And what’s wrong with watchin’ lassies fightin’ over a fella?’ he asked innocently.

‘Aren’t you a wee bit old for that?’ asked Vi’gala looking at him darkly over the next shot of single malt.

‘Ye use to like it?’

‘Aye, when I was like fourteen tau’cyr old shas’saal at the academy. Back then I even liked fighting other fellas in front of the girls, but not now!’

Then something caught Ham’ish’s eye, Injual was standing there looking at him over her shoulder. She tilted her head towards Vi’gala. So Ham’ish pointed the little finger of the hand holding the beer back at Vi’gala. Injual in turn gave her tulgaa a little shimmy.

Meanwhile, Tan’saro was washing down the last of her uneos nuts with another hit of dom’airag saying, ‘…You could… buy him a drink! You could… ask to see him sometime! You could… ask him for a dance? T’oh, t’oh I know… ask if he’d like to do ka’rao’ke with you? I could put a few credits on the Music and Entertainment drone. How about that?’

Injual turned her head and stared at Tan’saro.

‘That-is-so-snae’tas-lame! He’s Shas’Vre’Qim’xarox after all. Do you seriously think that a man who earned the name The Void Scythe likes to do ka’rao’ke?’ asked Injual turning around and leaning with her back against the bar.

‘I don’t know maybe he does? It certainly won’t hurt to ask him,’ answered Tan’saro twirling her cylinder of beer.

Across the floor, Yolwas needed to use the latrine, so Vi’gala got up to let her out. At the very moment, Vi’gala had his back to Injual, Ham’ish signalled to her with his hands. He pointed at Tan’saro, and then made a punching motion with his fist, “pow-pow?”

Injual pointed her thumb at Tan’saro, then also made a punching motion with her fist, “pow-pow?”

Ham’ish then signalled, “affirmative”, by tapping one fist over the other below the level of the table, so that only Injual could see.

Vi’gala sat back down and ordered another shot of single malt vi’ky’husa.

‘If ye were a true vesa, ye would hit me Tan’saro,’ said Injual taking another cylinder of beer from the Bar Attendant drone.

‘By the Dawn Blade! Are ye still on about that?’ Tan’saro’s dropped her head onto the countertop. But then lifting her head up said with a pained expression, ‘Listen Injual, if ye were a true vesa, you would stop asking me to hit ye!’

‘Tiffbt!’ said Injual staring sideways at her squad leader.

‘I saw what you did!’

Vi’gala and Ham’ish both looked up to see Yolwas leaning over the table.

‘Move over Ham’ish!’ she growled; but then without letting him move, shoved him over, and sat down. ‘I saw you encouraging that white-haired firewarrior to start a fight.’

Ham’ish gave away his guilt by blushing but said nothing.

Yolwas reached past him to retrieve her drink saying, ‘I swear Ham’ish if a fight breaks out because of you. I’ll hammer you so hard that you’ll be unconscious on the floor, and miss the whole snae’tas thing!’

‘Tche-tche-tche,’ snickered Vi’gala, ‘That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all night.’

‘It’s not that funny Vi’gala. It’s only funny to ye because ye’re so snae’ta sogtuu’mak right now!’ answered Ham’ish giving his team leader a grimdark look.

‘T’eh? It is too funny Ham’ish!’ laughed Yolwas. ‘Especially after I wake you to tell you who won the fight.’

Injual was waiting to catch Ham’ish’s eye, and when she saw him looking her way, tapped Tan’saro on the shoulder. When she turned around Injual dumped the entire cylinder of beer on Tan’saro’s head. Shocked, she didn’t immediately react, but instead, just wiped her face and exhaled loudly to get the beer out of her nasal slit. ‘Pbfffth-pbfffth! I’m not doing this Injual! Right now, I’m going back to the barracks to get myself cleaned up. Go and fight with somebody else!’ And with that Tan’saro got up and made for the door.

Injual wasn’t taking this lying down, and grabbing Tan’saro’s queue, gave it a good yank. Tan’saro almost toppled backwards, but then reached around to grab a hold of her queue. She narrowed her eyes and giving Injual an evil look, pulled it out of her hand.

Touching a firewarrior’s hair without permission is a cardinal offence among the Fire caste. Going back to before the mont’au, to touch a warrior’s hair was a dishonour so great, such that it required the offended party to avenge it in blood. Meaning only death could rectify the insult done to the warrior. However, these days, in the Farsight Enclaves at least, it meant a fist to the face or a hoof upside the head.

‘No! We-are-not-doing-this-Injual. Understand? I’m done. I’m leaving!’ yelled Tan’saro.

The entire pub now went silent, silent enough to hear a t’repa drop and all eyes were now on Injual and Tan’saro. Injual was afraid that the fight might not happen but then realized that everyone was now looking at her. So grabbing Tan’saro by the head she slammed her face into the countertop.

Tan’saro stood up, and with cyan blood pouring from her mouth and both eyes shouted, ‘YE SNAE’TAS KIR’EJII!’

Vi’gala sat transfixed as Tan’saro threw her first punch, heedless of the mayhem going on right beside him. So engrossed was he that he missed the loud percussive sounds of Ham’ish getting punched in the head, wham-wham-wham.

Tan’saro slammed a punch into Injual’s face, who, once having provoked the fight, wasn’t ready when it finally came. Tan’saro followed up with several punches in quick succession, pow-pow-pow. It was all Injual could do to keep from getting a beat down. Making a fighting retreat, Injual bobbed, weaved, and blocked, but most of Tan’saro’s punches still hit their mark. In desperation, Injual threw a sidekick, but Tan’saro blocked it. Injual came in close and made a hook punch and then a knee strike. The hook caught Tan’saro in the temple and the kick in her abdomen. Injual was now on the attack, only to have Tan’saro, then counter her attacks with a leg sweep….

Vi’gala couldn’t help himself, there was something about this onyx-haired shas’nui that had captivated him. It was as if her jewelled sapphire eyes now shone with a blue fire, like the eyes of some legendary chieftainess of the plains. Whose eyes shone with the fiery tenxer’suam or sapphire flame, as she struck down her enemies in battle? Or was it her lovely y-nasal silt? Or was it when she furrowed her brow, it reminded him of the horns of the ancient T’au bison the uaroka? Just what was it about her that had so captivated his attention?

Injual went over onto a table knocking it askew, as Tan’saro followed up on her with a low kick meant for the leg, but caught Injual in the solar plexus instead. Now both of the fighters were “disabled” having had the wind knocked out of them. But Tan’saro staggered onto her hooves, then shook it off to redouble her attacks. She laid into Injual with straight punches, jabs and uppercuts to the Injual’s face. For her part, Injual tried to close the distance again with knee strikes to the inner thighs, and block counter-punches and jabs to Tan’saro’s face and abdomen. The two firewarriors now traded a series of lightning punches, jabs, blocks, punches, kicks, and hooks in what was a blur of furious action. Many were unable to follow the incredibly fast and savage attacks…

Somehow this young shas’nui was different from most of the Fire caste women that Vi’gala had known. And over the tau’cyrs, he had known quite a few women firewarriors. Yet somehow this shas’nui was different. He marvelled at how she never gave ground but fought on with even more determination. His curiosity was peaked and Vi’gala decided he must find out who she was! ‘Who is this young firewarrior? Who fights in such a resolute manner? Who attacks with such audacity? Who strikes with such fierceness? I must know who she is!’ he thought to himself.

Injual closed distance enough to grapple with Tan’saro; and the two then went over backwards onto a table, sending the uneos nut dispenser and uneos nuts flying. The dispenser ricocheted off a Bar Attendant drone, missing Vi’gala’s head by mere tor’ils, but hitting Ham’ish square in the face. Just as he was trying to avoid another barrage of blows from Yolwas.

Tan’saro now responded to the grapple with a series of forearm strikes to Injual’s head. Luckily she had her face turned away, but the effect of the blows was to loosen her grip; which allowed Tan’saro to drop down and flip Injual onto her back and break the grapple. This allowed Tan’saro, who was still on her hooves, to open the distance between them again. However, Injual had a hold of Tan’saro’s collar, and her dungarees tore away ripping along the seam. Tan’saro then yanked down the dungarees and tied them off at her waist. This gave Injual time to scramble to her feet to do the same. The two women now faced each other with sweat and blood running down their faces, and blue muscles bulging beneath their sleeveless undersuit tops…

This young shas’nui with her rippling biceps and powerful forearms was like a breath of fresh air to Vi’gala! He was breathless at seeing her muscular shoulders and powerful forearms. Vi’gala unconsciously gasped when he saw the muscles of her strong back through her undersuit top. He was completely overwhelmed by her lightning-quick agility and graceful moves. And by her combinations of fist, backhand, and forearm strikes; as well as her front and side kicks that were as accurate, as they were deadly.

Tans’saro renewed her attack combinations of fist, backhand, and forearm strikes, which Injual failed to counter. Once more she tried to open the distance, but Tan’saro followed up with front and side kicks that Injual again had difficulty blocking. Tan’saro’s aggressive advance now put her inside of Injual’s kicks, and so she could bring down the fusillade of blows unimpeded. This was, however, her undoing, and Injual soon had her left arm in an armlock and was slamming her forearm into Tan’saro’s face. The forearm strike was followed in quick succession by two more, and then a knife-hand attack to her temple. Stunted she went limp, and the patrons in the pub all gasped as the fight seemed suddenly over. Injual now put her squad leader into a choke hold, meaning to finish the job of rendering her unconscious.

Vi’gala saw the white-haired shas’la put her into a choke hold, but the shas’nui broke the hold when she dropped down and threw Injual over her back. ‘What magnificent fighting spirit and ability!’ thought Vi’gala getting to his feet.

At the last moment, Tan’saro grabbed Injual’s arm, turned her head, and dropped down onto one knee, rolling Injual over her back. And with Injual’s feet going vertical, she then slams her down onto a table. Tan’saro follows up with a series of rapid “pile driver” punches to her friend’s face and stomach. Injual refuses to give up when Tan’saro shouted, ‘Do you yield? Do you yield?’

Being a combat veteran of many campaigns against the Kike’aiski’yebii or the Green Hand-foots, as well as being a true alagi’ki or an assassin, Vi’gala was immune to the usual frivolities of male-female relationships. Yet this young shas’nui, of all the women he’d ever met, somehow had gotten a hold of him. 'How was it that she could affect me so? How was it, that she could break through the many tau’cyrs of killing, bloodshed, and death that have hardened my soul? That had encased my heart in its very own nano-crystalline armour. What was it about her that makes me feel so alive?'

Tan’saro drags her off the table and onto the floor. She backs up and shouts again, ‘Do you yield? Do you yield Injual?’

Injual staggered to her feet, her face battered and bruised, with cyan blood flowing from her mouth and her eyes. But she nodded her head “no” and got down into a fighting stance. Tan’saro nods her head in anger, and shouts, ‘Ye stupid snae’tas kir’ejii!’

Vi’gala could now feel himself faltering, his resolve melting away, and his heart becoming vulnerable again. Just like it had been when he was a young shas’la, back when he had first joined the cadre as a fresh ponyo’seh. Suddenly a tinge of fear bubbled up from somewhere deep inside and he wondered what was happening to him. 'Was this love? Could this be happening to me after all the long and terrible tau’cyrs of war?' Vi’gala felt his knees go weak, and he wavered on his hooves.

Tan’saro bated away or blocked every ineffectual attack of Injual, and hopping on her right foot, does a spinning roundhouse kick with her left foot. Slamming her hoof upside Injual’s right temple with an awful, thwack sound. The assistant squad leader went down with a thud and lay there in a heap. The patrons in the pub all went wild with cheering, clapping, and hoof stomping.

‘What now the fight is over?’ thought Vi’gala. ‘What was he to do now? How could I ever walk away from her now? Never having once held her in his arms? Never having tasted her kisses? Never having experienced the delight of her thighs? Never having heard her moan in pleasure?’ Vi’gala was now beyond all rational thought, and so stepped out into the middle of the pub floor.

Tan’saro breathing hard and bleeding from her mouth, eyes, and several cuts on her face suddenly came to her senses. Realizing what had just happened, she leaned over her best friend with her hands on her knees, and asked, ‘T’oh, I’m sorry Injual… are ye alrecht?… Are ye hurt?… I didnae mean to hurt ye… I mean I didnae want to fight ye…’ Putting her hands to her mouth, she exclaimed, ‘T’oh I’m really, really sorry Injual!’

Then Tan’saro felt a hand on her back, and she looked up to see Vi’gala staring longingly at her with the most beautiful emerald green eyes she’s ever seen. He asked, ‘Is it alright for me to touch you?’

Unable to break eye contact with his green eyes, she can only mumble, ‘I-I-I didnae want to fight her… I wasn’t tryin’ to impress ye… or anybody… really… I just…’

‘I know. I know you weren’t trying to fight. I saw the whole thing,’ he said gently daubing the blood from her face with his bandanna. ‘I know, I saw the whole thing,’ he repeated.

‘You saw the whole thing…’ she repeated back to him.

The two of them stood there staring deeply into one another's eyes, not saying anything as the Medical Attendant drone zoomed in to examine Injual, who was just beginning to stir. Ham’ish crawled out from underneath the table, only to then have Yolwas slam his head to the floor with her hoof. It was at that precise moment, the Military Constabulary patrol burst into the pub to break up a reported fight between two female firewarriors.

‘May I be so presumptuous as to ask you to accompany me to my quarters? That is to say… would you… would you care to turn down the quilt with me?’ asked Vi’gala.

‘What?… t’oh… Yes… you may touch me,’ she replied still gazing into his eyes.

‘You don’t know what I just asked, do you? Here this may help,’ and Vi’gala took her in his arms, and pressing her to his chest, “tissed” her Gue’la style.

The entire pub exploded with shouting, laughing, clapping, and hoof stomping. Even the military constables joined in with the exuberant outburst. They kissed for a full raik’or, or more maybe two, but let go of their kiss to look around, when they heard all the noise. Still in each other’s arms, they both blushed and smiled as the crowd cheered even louder.

‘My given name is Vi’gala,’ he whispered into her ear.

She smiled demurely whispering, ‘My given name is Tan’saro.’

‘Well, why don’t the two of you take a stroll over to the infirmary, and from there you can head back to our billets?’ said Yolwas putting a hand on each of their shoulders.

‘Tan’saro this is my ta’lissera sister Shas’Ui’Niaa’myr,’ he said.

‘It’s my pleasure to meet you shas’ui. My name is Shas’Nui’Tyr’nan,’ replied Tan’saro.

‘Xhmm, Sword of Justice. Now that’s an appropriate name isn’t it Yolwas?’ said Vi’gala to his covenant sister. The two of them looked at Tan’saro and wagged their heads in agreement.

‘Well, now off with the both of you! I’ll handle the military constables and the fio barman,’ said Yolwas shooing them off.

Smiling and blushing Vi’gala and Tan’saro now gingerly stepped over the still prostrate Injual, as they made their way to the exit. Then waving to the cheering crowd they left the pub.

‘T’ah true love will always find a way,’ murmured Ham’ish standing up.

‘With no help from you!’ exclaimed Yolwas giving him a combination punch to the solar plexus, a backhand strike to the face, and then as he went over, she gave him a right hook to the temple. Yolwas thought that the sound of his body hitting the floor made a most satisfying, whomp.

Once on the floor, Ham’ish found it easier to see what was going on with Injual. He waited for Yolwas to walk over to the constabulary patrol and then crawled over on his stomach to where the Medical Attendant drone was treating her. Injual was awake but groggy, but he managed to prop her up on his knee. Ham’ish gave her a little smile and asked, ‘How are ye doin’ lass? How are ye feelin’?’

Injual looked at him with her left eye swollen shut, a big gash on her face, and her lip all busted up, and she was bleeding from both of her eyes and mouth. She looked up at Ham’ish in amazement and said, ‘T’ahhh, I’ve had worse… Wait, are ye from Vior’los too? I can tell from yer accent!’

‘Aye, I am from Viro’los. My name is Shas’Ui’Ka’jida.’

‘Ooo, yer recht bonnie lad!’ she replied shifting the ice pack on her face to look at him better.

‘Too bad, ye lost the fight lass, ‘cuz you’re recht good scrapper! Would ye like to come over to my billet?’

‘Ooo, dae ye mean that Ka’jida? I would luv t’at!’ she cooed through bruised lips.

‘Well, you know what they say on Vior’los, “Even if a lass loses a fight, she never goes home alone!”,’ he said smiling at her.

Just then two fio medics showed up with a medical stretcher drone and kneeled down beside Injual.

‘Hoi, Hoi! I saw her first bois!’ shouted Ham’ish throwing out an arm.

‘Sir, we’re the emergency medical team, and we’re here to take the shas’la to the infirmary,’ said a confused fio medic.

‘T’ach, sorry lads. May I accompany her to the Infirmary?’

‘Certainly sir. Actually, I was going to say, it looks like you could use a visit to the infirmary yourself. Why don’t you follow us out to the ambulance, and you can ride along with her?

‘Oo, I’d luv t’at!’ said Injual beaming.

Then as the medics shifted her onto the stretcher drone, and as it rose into the air Ham’ish said to her, ‘My given name is Ham’ish. What’s yours?’

‘T’ah Mountain Mist, that’s a beautiful name! Ham’ish my given name is Injual,’ she said looking at him with her one good eye.

‘Little Pearl, what a bonnie name,’ he said still smiling.

Ham’ish then followed the medics and the stretcher drone with Inujal out the door, as the crowd in the pub cheered and clapped for the fallen female firewarrior.

This left Yolwas to give an account of the incident to the two constables and then pay her team’s tab and the damages caused by the fight. Paying for the fight of course wasn’t required of her, but doing so would go a long way to smoothing things over for her team. Now wondering what to do, she found herself standing at the bar, but not wanting anything more to drink.

‘Excuse me shas’ui, but are you taken for the evening? Do you have someone you’re seeing tonight?’ asked a tall, broad-chested shas’nvre.

‘I don’t know, who’s asking?’

‘Shas’Nvre’Isva’sha 177th Alpine cadre. I see that both of your comrades have left with companions, but you’re here all alone. It would be a shame if you had to sleep by yourself tonight.

Yolwas looked at the experienced shas’nvre with a clean-shaven face and a full head of very long steel grey hair. She noticed he had a nice pair of jade blue eyes and said, ‘My name is Shas’Ui’ Niaa’myr, and I’m quite hungry actually, so if you’d like to take me to the Mon’shas Taxim, we can talk over the crunchy rolls and sushi?’

‘My given name is Himoya by the way,’ he said with a small bow.

‘And my given name is Yolwas,’ she replied bowing as well.

‘After you then,’ he said motioning to the door; but then as they were walking he asked, ‘The Black Star Canteen, that’s Food and Beverage Dispensary 23-4 isn’t it?’

‘Yes, you don’t mind Salash’hei seafood, do you? I’m from Salash’hei.’

‘No, not at all. Although I must say I prefer oeki’kirsaal, little ocean fox over any other Salash’hei seafood.’

Yolwas burst out laughing, ‘That’s a good sign when a man can make me laugh!’

And with that the last of Team Shadow of the Death Being left the Deep Blue Mountain Canteen.